Methods for inspecting welds

Abstract

A method for inspecting the welds of plastic pipes with the aid of a data processing device, comprising: #imgabs0# capturing and storing documents; #imgabs1# monitoring and recording the installation and implementation of the welds at the joints; #imgabs2# generating a welding report, or using a welding report from a welding machine; #imgabs3# ultrasonically testing the welds, wherein the test detects and stores defects in the welds; wherein software is used to capture and store documents, welding reports and defects, more particularly to capture and store data about the defects, wherein algorithms of the software are used to evaluate the stored documents, reports, defects and data about the defects, and to classify the welded joints as meeting or not meeting the requirements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for inspecting a weld of a plastic pipe by means of a data processing device, the method comprising:

[0002] capture and store documents;

[0003] Monitor and record the installation and realization of welds at joints;

[0004] Generate welding reports;

[0005] Ultrasonic testing of welds, where the test detects and stores defects in the weld. Background Art

[0006] Separate steps are known from the prior art, such as generating relevant documentation, performing welding and generating a welding report and testing the welded joint. However, the documentation and data are managed separately, without allowing an automatically generated appraisal of the welded joint.

[0007] This has the disadvantage that welded joints are often approved even though not all supporting documentation is available, and also has the disadvantage that not all data are incorporated in the assessment of the welded joint. Summary of the invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is to propose a method that allows the assessment of welded joints of ultrasonic tests carried out in situ on plastic pipes, the assessment being automatically generated from the captured documents and data.

[0009] This object is achieved according to the invention in that software is used to capture and store documents, welding reports and defects, more particularly data about said defects, wherein an algorithm of the software is used to evaluate the stored documents, reports, defects and data and to classify the welded joint as conforming or not conforming to the requirements. All recorded documents and data provide conclusions about the quality of the welded joint, which can then be evaluated by the algorithm to assess whether the welded joint meets the requirements.

[0010] The method according to the invention for checking welded joints between plastic pipes or between pipe elements and pipes and weld seams using electrofusion couplers is carried out and correspondingly evaluated by means of a data processing device.

[0011] A smartphone, a tablet (or else a portable computer) and other known data processing devices can preferably be used as the data processing device.

[0012] The inspection method comprises, among other things, the capture and storage of documents (preferably material specifications, records, agreements, certificates, reports, technical specifications, etc.), any documents related to the assembly and the welding of the assembly for the purpose of verifying its quality and acceptability. Obviously, it is possible to define accordingly which documents etc. are required in order to be able to perform the assessment and which documents can optionally be saved.

[0013] The installation and realization of the pipe fitting and the pipe or of a weld between two pipes is monitored and suitably documented by means of data processing means, preferably captured and documented by images and / or video and welding data from the welding device.

[0014] A welding report is then generated from the captured welding data, wherein the welding report is preferably generated autonomously by software, or the welding report has already been generated by the welding machine and is now transmitted to the data processing machine.

[0015] As an additional step of the method according to the invention, the weld seam is tested ultrasonically, wherein the test detects and stores defects present in the weld seam.

[0016] All collected documents, welding reports, data and defects are saved in the software, or stored, so that the software can access all collected documents, welding reports, data and defects, and the software's algorithms evaluate the stored documents, reports, defects and data and classify the welded joint as meeting or not meeting the requirements.

[0017] The method according to the invention can preferably be applied to butt-fusion welds and electrofusion coupler welds. Plastic pipes can accordingly be fusion-butt-welded to each other and also joined by means of electrofusion couplers. Obviously, other pipe parts can also be fusion-butt-welded to the pipe ends.

[0018] It is advantageous if the installation is specified step by step and monitored and documented step by step. For example, the software defines, for example with the aid of pictures or drawings, how the coupler is intended to be pushed onto the pipe, and this is verified with the aid of photos saved by the software. Preferably, the position of the weld is also captured by corresponding coordinates, whereby it is always possible to track the position of the weld exactly, even if it is located underground, as is usually the case in most cases of laying pipelines.

[0019] The algorithm preferably includes the adoption of initial values ​​based on the components to be welded. This means, for example, that if an electric fusion coupler of a certain diameter and material is used, a predefined value is used by the software as the initial value. In addition, a value is calculated for the detected defect and stored by the ultrasonic test. The value calculated based on the defect is then subtracted from the initial value adopted to obtain a difference value for the weld being tested. This difference value is compared with a reference value, which is also predefined for the relevant weld. The reference value is an empirical value based on previous destructive long-term tests, which determine what minimum value must exist to meet the requirements. If the difference value is equal to or higher than the reference value, the weld is permissible; if the difference value is lower than the reference value, the weld is not permissible.

[0020] It is advantageous if the defect is calculated based on its size. This means that preferably the width, length and / or depth of the defect is detected and appropriately calculated and incorporated in the algorithm as corresponding values ​​and deducted from the initial values ​​employed.

[0021] It has proven to be advantageous that the software takes the form of an app. Constraints are thereby imposed on the user and specified which the user must meet. For example, it is then specified that mandatory documents, reports etc. are to be entered into the app, otherwise the welded joint is not approved, or an assessment by the software is not possible. This is the case even if, for example, after testing no defects are detectable in the weld and the weld is actually assessed as good, but certain documents for clearance are missing. However, this setting for the app can also be changed and is less restrictive.

[0022] The data is preferably collected and stored centrally, for example in a cloud or remote server, and accessed by software. It is also possible that the data is accessed via a WEB platform. Therefore, the data can be accessed not only via a WEB platform but also via an app or other software.

[0023] The algorithm is preferably refined by receiving new data, or the system is self-learning. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the present invention is not limited only to the exemplary embodiments, and wherein:

[0025] Figure 1 The present invention shows a schematic diagram of the method according to the present invention and the documents and steps contained therein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Figure 1 The figures presented in the drawing show all the data and documentation required to assess whether a welded joint is permissible according to the method of the invention. Figure 1Several preferred documents 1 captured by the software and data processing device for this method are shown. It is obviously possible to define in the software exactly which documents are mandatory for the assessment and which documents are optional. These documents are then captured and stored. The storage can be carried out in the data processing device and also on an external server or in the cloud. The installation process 2 of the pipe and / or pipe fitting is then monitored, for example by images, and the position or coordinates of the weld are recorded. This is also input and managed again with the help of software. In addition, data from ultrasonic welding is captured 3, wherein the welding device transmits the data to the software according to the method of the invention or to the data processing device, and the software is used to generate a welding report 3, or the welding report 3 has been generated by the welding machine and is transmitted to the software. The weld is then ultrasonically tested 4, wherein the test provides information about defects in the weld. The algorithm 5 (the flowchart is a purely symbolic representation) stored in the software and the captured data and documents are used to generate a report 5, which preferably indicates whether the weld is permissible or inadmissible based on the quality of the welded joint.

[0027] Reference List

[0028] 1. Get the document

[0029] 2. Monitor and record installation and welds

[0030] 3. Welding report

[0031] 4. Ultrasonic testing

[0032] 5 Weld seam evaluation and algorithms

Claims

1. A method for checking a weld of a plastic pipe by means of a data processing device, comprising: Capture and store documents; · monitor and record the installation and realization of said welds at the joints; Generate welding reports or use welding reports from welding machines; Ultrasonic testing of the weld, wherein the test detects and stores defects in the weld; Characterized in that software is used to capture and store the documents, the welding reports and the defects, wherein the algorithms of the software are used to evaluate the stored documents, reports, defects and data about the defects, and classify the weld joint as meeting or not meeting the requirements.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The software is used to capture and store data regarding the defects.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method can be applied to fusion butt welds and electrofusion coupler welds.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The installation is specified step by step and monitored and recorded step by step.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The algorithm comprises the following steps: Adopt initial values ​​based on the components to be welded; Calculating values ​​based on detected defects and stored defects; subtracting the calculated value for the defect from the initial value; • Checking whether the obtained difference is above or below a defined threshold, based on which the weld is considered to be tolerable or inadmissible.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The defects are calculated based on their size.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that For the purpose of calculating the defect, the width, length and / or depth of the defect is detected and evaluated.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The software is formed by an app.

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